Dewey back here again for another edition of Water Works! We are breaking records all over the place, and not the good Olympic kind either. This is the 3rd driest dry season since the early 90s; we had the driest January and February on record since 1895, and currently over 72% of Florida is in the extreme drought category, the 3rd out of 4 drought categories. The South Florida Water Management District has issued a water shortage warning for Collier, Lee, and Glades counties and is encouraging residents, visitors, and businesses to conserve water and limit irrigation. Click here for some helpful tips for conserving water.
Drought causes many issues for us and for wildlife. We rely on rainfall to recharge our source of drinking water. On average, Florida receives 51 inches of rain each year. However, not all of the rain reaches the aquifer. About 38 inches evaporates or runs off the land into surface waters, like lakes, rivers, and streams, before it has a chance to soak into the ground. This leaves, on average, 13 inches annually to recharge the aquifer in limited areas! While much of Florida gets potable water from the deep Floridan aquifer, Southwest Florida relies on a surficial aquifer system for drinking water supplies, see the graphic below. Drought affects surficial aquifers more quickly than deeper ones. Drought negatively affects wetlands and the wildlife dependent on them.
Drought also changes salinity in our estuaries, including the Caloosahatchee, which has been receiving less fresh water from rainfall and from Lake Okeechobee-regulated releases. This has raised the salinity well above the tolerances of oysters and tape grass, both of which are critical habitat for many species, which ultimately power our fishing and recreational economy here in SWFL. The rain will come on its own schedule — but protecting our water supply doesn’t have to wait. Conserve water. Do your part.